Automotive vehicle warning device with all position ignition key circuit actuation via steering lock

ABSTRACT

A steering lock for a motor vehicle which includes a makecontact to actuate a warning installation when the ignition key is left inserted in the lock and a vehicle door is opened; the locking cylinder of the steering lock includes a mounting support made from insulating material which contains two opposite pins or spring-ring parts projecting into the path of the key but without contacting one another; the inner ends of the pins or spring-ring parts may be constructed ball-shaped, conical, or the like, and are in contact with their outer ends at a slip-ring that is connected with the warning installation.

United States Patent Schiesterl et al. 1 1 Nov. 21, 1972 [54] AUTOMOTIVEVEHICLE WARNING 3,391,302 7/1968 Weingarden ..340/52 D X DEVICE WITH ALLPOSITION 3,317,904 5/1967 Clay ..340/274 IGNITION KEY CIRCUIT ACTUATION1,695,518 12/1928 Watson ..200/44 UX VIA STEERING O 1,714,426 5/ 1929Kuepfer ..200/44 UX 2,057,301 10/1936 Golokow et a1. ..200/61.66 W21 st"m i' 2,105,304 1 /1938 Wagner ..200/61.66 x 73 5; f 1 2,123,507 7/1938Jacobi ..200/61.66 Sta t 01 many 2,868,007 1/1959 Neiman et al ..200/44x [73] Assignee: Daimler-Benz Akliengesellschaft, 3,165,599 H1965 Clay..200/44 Stuttgart-Un terturkheim, Germany 3,219,768 11/1965 Johnstone..200/44 Filed Feb 13 1970 3,261,928 7/1966 Schlesinger, Jr ..200/8 [21Appl. No.2 11,167 Primary Examiner-J. R. Scott Attorney-Craig andAntonelli [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT I 1969Germany 19 07 3906 A steering lock for a motor vehicle which includes amake-contact to actuate a warning installation when [52] 200/44 theignition key is left inserted in the lock and a vehicle door is opened;the locking cylinder of the steering 2; 3 2? lock includes a mountingsupport made from insulat- 1 0 407520 ing material which contains twoopposite pins or I, spring-ring parts projecting into the path of thekey 56 R t e cc (fled but without contacting one another; the inner endsof I 1 e er n s l the pins or spring-ring parts may be constructed ball-UNITED STATES PATENTS shaped, conical, or the like, and are in contactwith 3 325 783 /1967 w bb /52 their outer ends at a slip-ring that isconnected with e th warnin i t ll ti 2,519,940 8/1950 Smith et al..340/52 D 2,847,656 8/ 1958 Ricks ..340/52 D 9 Claims, 5 DrawingFigures AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE WARNING DEVICE WITH ALL POSITION IGNITION KEYCIRCUIT ACTUATION VIA STEERING LOCK The present invention relates to asteering lock for motor vehicles with a contact-making means for theactuating of a warning installation with an inserted ignition key and anopened vehicle door. Such warning installations serve as precaution toprevent thefts, misuse by children, accidents with turned-on ignition,etc.

It is known for the prevention of thefts to build into motor vehiclesacoustic or optical warning installations which become operable, forexample, as hooting signal or by turning the headlights on and off, if avehicle door is opened. These prior art warning installations entail thedisadvantage that they have to be switched into operating readiness bythe driver upon leaving the vehicle, i.e., are not always ready for usebecause the driver, when leaving the vehicle for a'shortperiod of time,will hardly always turn on the safety device. On the other hand, theknown warning installation will always go into action when the driverhimself enters the vehicle and prior thereto has forgotten to turn offthe warning installation. Further disadvantages of these prior artinstallations reside in the fact that the warning installations requirea large technical expenditure and operate independently of whether ornot the ignition key is inserted into the steering lock.

The present invention is predicated on the aim'to warn the driver uponleaving every time by'a continuous or timely interrupted warning signalwhen he has left the ignition key in the steering lock and, consequentlyhas not secured the vehicle against unauthorized use.

The underlying problems are solved by the present invention in that thelock cylinder of the steering lock is provided with a mountingsupportmade' from insulating, synthetic resinous material of any knowntype which contains two oppositely disposed pins or springring partsprojecting into the key passage but not contacting with one another,which are constructed at the inner ends thereof ball-shaped, conical orthe like and which with the outer ends thereof are operatively connectedelastically with a slip ring that is connected by way of a contact cableor any other conductor with the warning installation. The ball-like orconical configuration of the ends of the pins or spring-ring partsprojecting into the key path serves the purpose to enable convenientlythe insertion of the ignition key into the key channel whereby the pinsor spring-ring parts are pressed outwardly so that a good contactbetween the two pins or the two spring-ring parts and the groundresults. The current circuit to the slip ring and therewith to thewarning installation is then closed with an opened door. I

The slip ring is appropriately embedded in an ing ring within the outercover cap.

The synthetic resinous'mounting support maybeso constructed that it mayb'e'ass'embled or emplaced'on the lock cylinder, for example, by meansof two insulatrecesses in'the lock cylinder and corresponding pins.

In order to prevent that the pins or spring-ring parts are pressed toofar into the key path and thereby impair the insertion of the ignitionkey, the pins or spring-ring parts may be provided with abutments whichlimit the movements of these parts inwardly toward the key path. l

According to one embodiment a flat spring may be provided which forcesthe two oppositely disposed pins into the key path and is so constructedat the ends thereof that it establishes a contact with the slip ring.The flat spring thereby .appropriately encloses ringshaped the syntheticresinous mounting support. The two ends of the flat spring areadvantageously separated by an entrainment abutment of the plasticmounting support which takes along the flat spring during rotation ofthe key. It is achieved thereby that the flat spring cannot displaceitself in relation to the pins whereby otherwise the-contact, forexample, at the ends of the spring between the pins and the spring mightbelost.

The pins may also be constructed as telescopic pins whose parts mutuallyguided one within the other are forced apart by springs disposed on theinside thereof and whose inner pin parts are pressed against the slipring. The outer pin parts may be provided at the'outer end with aflanged or beaded edge.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, spring-ringparts may be providedin the place of the pins which project into the keypath and form part of a ring, at the circumference of which are providedwiper or slide springs which establish a contact with the slip ring.Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide asteering lock for motor vehicles which avoids by simple means theaforementioned shortcomings and drawbacks encountered in the prior art.

Another object of the present invention resides in a steering lock formotor vehicles which is ready for operation at all times withoutrequiring any action on the part of the driver when leaving the vehicle.

A further object of the present invention resides in a steering lock formotor vehicles which is simple in construction, easy to assemble andinvolves only parts that can be readily manufactured.

Still a further object of the present invention resides in a steeringlock which operates in dependence on whether or not the ignition key isinserted into the steering lock.

Still another object of the present invention resides in a steering lockwhich permits a compact construction, allowing also installation thereofinto existing steering locks.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become more obvious from the following description whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, forpurposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through a first embodimentof a steering lock in accordance with the present invention with twosimple pins;

FIG. 2 is a transverse, cross-sectional view through the steering lockaccording to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 1, of amodified embodiment of a steering lock in accordance with the presentinvention with two telescopic pins;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, similar to FIGS. 1 and 3,through a still further modified embodiment of asteering lock inaccordance with the FIG. is a plan view of the spring-ring according toFIG. 4. I

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are usedthroughout the various views to designate like parts, reference numeral1 indicates in all figures the ignition key which is inserted into thekey channel of the lock cylinder 2 consisting of the external stator andthe internal rotor. Since the lock cylinder is of conventionalconstruction, a detailed showing and description thereof is dispensedwith herein.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. land 2,.the pins 4 guided in thisembodiment in a mounting support 3 of synthetic resinous material areforced outwardly against the spring force of the flat spring 5 so thatthe pins 4 abut against the key 1 with slight pressure and therebyestablish a good contact. In FIG. 1, however, the pins 4 are illustratedin their innermost position, i.e., in the position in which the ignitionkey has been completely removed or pulled out. The pins 4 includeabutments 4 which limit the movement of the pins 4 inwardly toward thekey passage. As can be seen in particular from FIG. 2, the flat spring 5which may be constructed either in one piece or also two-partitecorresponding to the number of the pins, slides with its ends on theslip-ring 6 that is embedded in an insulating ring 7 disposed in theouter cover cap 8 and is connected by way of a contact cable 9 (FIG. 1),with the warning installation, for example, with a conventional buzzer.The plastic mounting support 3 is assembled in the embodiment of FIGS. 1and 2 on the lock cylinder 2 by means of two recesses 10 in the lockcylinder and corresponding pins 11. An entrainment abutment 12 providedat the plastic mounting support 3 effects that the flat spring 5 istaken along during rotation of the key 1.

The current supply in the illustrated embodiment with an insertedignition key and an open door is as follows:

Current source 20 fuse box 21 door contact 22 input output alarm 23input output slipring 6 flat spring 5 pins 4 ignition key 1 and thelatter conducts the current to ground. It is thereby completelyimmaterial in which position the key finds itself within the steeringlook.

In FIG. 3 the pins are constructed as telescopic pins which include eachan inner pin part 13 and an outer pin part 14. These parts 13 and 14 arepressed apart by a spring 15 disposed on the inside. The inner pin part13 is thereby pressed against the slip-ring 6. The outer pin parts 14are provided at the outer end with a flanged or beaded edge 16 asabutment.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 4 and 5, specially shapedspring-ring parts 17 are provided in the place of pins which belong toand form part of a ring 18, at the circumference of which are providedsliding springs 19 which establish the contact with the slip-ring 6. InFIG. 4 the form of the spring-ring parts 17 is illustrated with aninserted ignition key 1 having a shaft 1' of conductive material. FIG. 5clearly illustrates the spring-ring parts 17 and the sliding springs 19present at the circumference of the ring 18 which abut against theslip-ring 6. v

The advantage results from the construction according to the presentinvention that the position of the ignition key is completely immaterialfor the contact-making in order to trigger the warning installationduring the opening of the door. Also, with a partly pulled-out ignitionkey, the contact with the ground remains preserved or maintained at thepins or at the spring-ring parts.

Furthermore, the present invention offers the advantage that thecontact-making for the warning installation can be accommodated in acommon housing together with the steering lock. The novel installationmay be additionally and subsequently built into already-present steeringlocks. The manufacture of the installation is very simple so that thataimed-at safety mechanism canbe manufactured very inexpensively.

While we have shown and described only several embodiments in accordancewith the present invention, it is understood that the same is notlimited thereto butis susceptible of numerous changes and modificationsas known to those skilled in the art, and we therefore do not wish to belimited to the details shown and described herein but intend to coverall such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope ofthe-appended claims.

We claim:

1. A warning device for automotive vehicles comprising an electricallyactuable alarm means disposed in a circuit, vehicle door actuated switchmeans in said circuit such that said switch means is closed when avehicle door is open, a current source connected to said circuit, saidcircuit terminating in a steering lock assembly having ignition keyreceiving means, said lock assembly including insulation means foroperably insulating said circuit with respect to ground when said keyreceiving means is empty, and a removable ignition key having conductingmeans for connecting saidcircuit to ground upon insertion into saidreceiving means, said conducting means and said key'receiving meansbeing configured for connecting said circuit to ground for all positionsof said key within said receiving means, whereby the alarm is actuatedwhenever said vehicle door is open and said key is in said receivingmeans.

2. A warning device according to claim 1, wherein said lock assemblyincludes slip ring means electrically connected at all times to saidcircuit and spring biased contact-making means protruding into said keyreceiving means for engagement with said key, said contactmaking meansbeing arranged to form a conductive path between said slip ring meansand said key when said key is in said key receiving means, and whereinsaid key includes conductive material for conducting current from saidcontact-making means to portions of the lock assembly which areconnected to ground.

3. A warning device according .to claim 2, wherein said key receivingmeans is a slot extending through a substantially cylindrical block ofinsulating material and said contact-making means are pins extendingradially through said block, said pins having inner ends for engagingsaid key and outer ends conductively connected to said slip ring means.

4. A warning device according to claim 3, wherein each of said pinsinclude two telescoping parts with a spring means therebetweenforbiasing said parts away from one another, the outer ends of said pinsdirectly contacting said slip ring means.

- 5. A warning device according to claim 3, wherein each of said pins isa unitary part, the outer ends of said pins being in direct contact witha flat spring which biases the pins inwardly toward the key receivingmeans, said flat spring being in direct electrical contact with saidslip ring means at all times.

6. A warning device according to claim 2, wherein said contact-makingmeans is a single unitary spring member having portions in contact withsaid slip ring means at all times.

7. A warning device according to claim 2, wherein said slip ring meansis embedded in an insulating ring of

1. A warning device for automotive vehicles comprising an electricallyactuable alarm means disposed in a circuit, vehicle door actuated switchmeans in said circuit such that said switch means is closed when avehicle door is open, a current source connected to said circuit, saidcircuit terminating in a steering lock assembly having ignition keyreceiving means, said lock assembly including insulation means foroperably insulating said circuit with respect to ground when said keyreceiving means is empty, and a removable ignition key having conductingmeans for connecting said circuit to ground upon insertion into saidreceiving means, said conducting means and said key receiving meansbeing configured for connecting said circuit to ground for all positionsof said key within said receiving means, whereby the alarm is actuatedwhenever said vehicle door is open and said key is in said receivingmeans.
 1. A warning device for automotive vehicles comprising anelectrically actuable alarm means disposed in a circuit, vehicle dooractuated switch means in said circuit such that said switch means isclosed when a vehicle door is open, a current source connected to saidcircuit, said circuit terminating in a steering lock assembly havingignition key receiving means, said lock assembly including insulationmeans for operably insulating said circuit with respect to ground whensaid key receiving means is empty, and a removable ignition key havingconducting means for connecting said circuit to ground upon insertioninto said receiving means, said conducting means and said key receivingmeans being configured for connecting said circuit to ground for allpositions of said key within said receiving means, whereby the alarm isactuated whenever said vehicle door is open and said key is in saidreceiving means.
 2. A warning device according to claim 1, wherein saidlock assembly includes slip ring means electrically connected at alltimes to said circuit and spring biased contact-making means protrudinginto said key receiving means for engagement with said key, saidcontact-making means being arranged to form a conductive path betweensaid slip ring means and said key when said key is in said key receivingmeans, and wherein said key includes conductive material for conductingcurrent from said contact-making means to portions of the lock assemblywhich are connected to ground.
 3. A warning device according to claim 2,wherein said key receiving means is a slot extending through asubstantially cylindrical block of insulating material and saidcontact-making means are pins extending radially through said block,said pins having inner ends for engaging said key and outer endsconductively connected to said slip ring means.
 4. A warning deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein each of said pins include two telescopingparts with a spring means therebetween for biasing said parts away fromone another, the outer ends of said pins directly contacting said slipring means.
 5. A warning device according to claim 3, wherein each ofsaid pins is a unitary part, the outer ends of said pins being in directcontact with a flat spring which biases the pins inwardly toward the keyreceiving means, said flat spring being in direct electrical contactwith said slip ring means at all times.
 6. A warning device according toclaim 2, wherein said contact-making means is a single unitary springmember having portions in contact with said slip ring means at alltimes.
 7. A warning device according to claim 2, wherein said slip ringmeans is embedded in an insulating ring of an outer cover cap coveringthe locking assembly.
 8. A warning device according to claim 2, whereinsaid contact-making means are provided with abutment means for limitingthe movement of said contact-making means in the direction of the keyreceiving means.